Nearly 200 Tibetans and Taiwanese yesterday took to the streets in Taipei to voice their support for the independence and freedom of Tibet, while remembering those Tibetans who sacrificed their lives in an uprising against Chinese occupation of their country in 1959.
“Tibetans want to go home! The Dalai Lama wants to go home!” the crowd shouted as they marched. “Tibet belongs to Tibetans! Chinese Communist Party [CCP] get out of Tibet!”
Before the parade began, Tibetans performed a skit to show China’s repression of Tibetans.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
As the crowd rallied near Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station, three Tibetans dressed in traditional outfits ran out of the crowd, shouting “Free Tibet” and “Independence for Tibet.”
Soon, four others dressed in Chinese military uniforms ran after them, took them down, covered their mouths, tied them up with chains and pointed pistols at their heads.
“The ‘skit’ that the Tibetans just performed is not really a ‘skit,’ because it’s something that has happened a lot during the past decades to Tibetans living within Tibet under Chinese occupation,” said Son Yu-lian (孫友聯), secretary-general of the Taiwan Labour Front, which was one of several civic groups taking part in the Free Tibet parade.
Speaking to the demonstrators, Taiwan Friends of Tibet (TFOT) president Chow Mei-li (周美里) said that Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama’s announcement earlier in the week that he would retire from exile government functions was a “slap at the CCP regime.”
“Traditionally, the Dalai Lama serves as both the spiritual and political leader of Tibet, and never retires,” Chow said. “But now, even the Dalai Lama has announced his retirement — we want to ask when is the CCP government going to retire?”
She added that the current Dalai Lama had pushed for democratic reforms in exile, leading to the elections of a legislative body and the government-in-exile through popular votes by Tibetans living in exile. In addition to the mostly adult demonstrators, there was also a high school student, Own Ching-ning (翁慶寧), who came from Taoyuan to join the parade.
“It’s just natural for us Taiwanese to join the Tibetans in their struggle for freedom, because we’re all facing the same threat — China,” Own said. “Although many people may think it’s the business of the grown-ups to support the free Tibet movement, I think people in high school are old enough to show care for the world.”
Jesse Duffield, a New Zealander who has been living in Taiwan for four years, said he has participated in many events related to the Tibetan cause, “because of my support for the Tibetans’ right to determine their own future as an independent nation.”
Besides showing their support for Tibet’s freedom, the demonstrators also observed a minute of silence and prayed for people in Japan who are suffering from the devastation brought by a massive earthquake and tsunami on Friday.
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
Taipei is to implement widespread road closures around Taipei 101 on Friday to make way for large crowds during the Double Ten National Day celebration, the Taipei Department of Transportation said. A four-minute fireworks display is to be launched from the skyscraper, along with a performance by 500 drones flying in formation above the nearby Nanshan A21 site, starting at 10pm. Vehicle restrictions would occur in phases, they said. From 5pm to 9pm, inner lanes of Songshou Road between Taipei City Hall and Taipei 101 are to be closed, with only the outer lanes remaining open. Between 9pm and 9:40pm, the section is
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday hosted a reception to celebrate Double Ten National Day. Conservative Canadian lawmaker Marc Dalton called Taiwan a “beacon of courage and resilience in the face of rising authoritarianism,” according to a post on the Taiwan in Vancouver Facebook page. Also in attendance were fellow conservative caucus members Tako Van Popta and Chak Au, who said that Taiwan plays an “indispensable role” in ensuring global peace, prosperity and stability due to its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, it said. Canadian lawmaker Michael Cooper also recorded a message wishing Taiwan a
RSS